


Camp Sea Shore

by just_the_worst



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, connie is anxious, peridot visits summer camp, steven is steven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-20 13:10:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8250274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_the_worst/pseuds/just_the_worst
Summary: There is only one person who is as excited about Steven's new job at a summer camp as he is: Peridot.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MalcolmInSpace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalcolmInSpace/gifts).



> Hi!
> 
> So this was originally written for the Summer of Steven gift exchange, but it's been four months so I think it might be dead. This was written for MalcomInSpace. I hope you like it (but it's okay if you don't) :P

“Oh my gosh, I got the job!”

Steven’s smile appeared as if it might split his face in half.

He had applied a few weeks prior to a job posting for a local day camp counsellor. Having heard about how fun camp could be from Connie and understanding the economic burden that his dad was shouldering, taking the position sounded like a marvellous idea.

Almost as excited as Steven, was Peridot.

“You were accepted as a member of the camp hierarchy?” she asked, her face taking on an expression of wonder.

“You will be required to tell me absolutely everything about the going-ons at Camp Sea Shore, including but not limited to: the interpersonal relations/conflicts among campers and staff, the appearance of the campground and the outcomes of any and all camp events”

“Okie dokey!” Steven replied after only a brief moment of puzzlement as he parsed Peridot’s request.

“Loos like staff training starts in two weeks. I wonder what that’s going to be like.”

Immediately images of his imagined future co-workers sparring entered his brain.

Steven knew it was more likely to resemble that time he’d watched “Do or Donut” with Sadie, but the imagined gladiatorial battles amused him regardless.

* * *

 

Even the prospect of staff training was exciting to Steven. He’d never been a full-fledged staff member before! He’d been so excited that he’d arrived an hour earlier than he’d needed to.

Several weeks prior Steven had been delighted to discover that Connie had also secured a staff position, as a lifeguard. Dr. Maheswaran had insisted that Connie learn to be a proficient swimmer now that she lived near the ocean. Once she’d learned that first aid and rescue techniques were a key component of higher levels of swimming classes it had been inevitable that Connie would be enrolled in them. Not being one to back down from a challenge, Connie had secured every possible certification as soon as she was able, almost immediately after her sixteenth birthday.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Connie had arrived even earlier than Steven. The anxiety on her face was unmistakeable.

“Hi Connie!” Steven said, waving merrily.

“Hi Steven…” Connie replied, with little enthusiasm.

“What’s wrong?”

“Where do I even begin?!” Connie replied, taking a deep breath.

“For starters, what if I’m not competent enough at this job? What if I miss something important and someone gets hurt? People’s LIVES are at stake here! Someone could drown! Or what if they end up paralyzed because I mess up my spinal rolls? Those are tricky to get right! What if there’s someone I can’t get out of the water and I doom them to a watery grave? What if the kids hate me? What if the other lifeguarding staff think I’m not good enough? I’ve never done this before! What if…”

Steven put an arm on Connie’s shoulder, causing her to pause her anxiety-fueled rant to look at him.

“It’s going to be okay” he said, offering her a small smile.

“Everyone’s been a new lifeguard at some point. I know you, you’re going to be so attentive there’s no chance anyone will even flounder before you’re there to help them”. Connie regarded Steven with a dubious expression.

Steven decided to try a different approach.

“What do you think of your lifeguarding instructors?”

“They were amazing! Some of them were real EMTs! They loved to tell us gory stories of actual dismemberment!”

“Do you trust their judgement?”

Connie nodded.

“Well, they seem to think you’re qualified, and I do too”

Connie met Steven’s gaze and smiled.

“Thanks Steven, that does make me feel a little better” she said, as she brought Steven in for a hug.

“Anytime!” Steven replied, beaming.

They held each other for another minute or so, enjoying the peace that being so early had brought them.

“So what do you think they have in store for us today?”

“I dunno, I guess we’re going to find out”

* * *

 

Mostly, Steven discovered, training videos were the main event of the day. Some of them, such as the slips, trips and falls video had been emotionally scarring (a woman had fallen face first into a vat of boiling oil), while others had been unintentionally hilarious. Both Steven and Connie had failed to keep their composure as they took in the terrible acting and overly dramatic music.

Towards the end of the day they had been given a rundown of a typical week.

For the most part things were fairly straightforward. Steven would be working together with his fellow counsellors to supervise and run games and crafts. He would also assist in supervising while the children were being instructed in more advanced topics such as swimming and boating.

Every Friday there was going to be a special event. The counsellors would take turns planning them on a week-by-week basis. Although any ideas needed to be approved by their supervisor, Buck Dewey, there was quite a bit of creative freedom for the counsellors to do as they wished.

As it was mentioned that the counsellors were allowed to bring special guests, Steven began to get excited, as it occurred to him exactly who he could bring.

As training simmered down for the day, Steven pulled Buck aside to ask him if his idea was okay.

“Sounds cool to me, Universe. I’ll slot your idea in as the special event for week one”. To most people Buck’s expression would have been unreadable, but Steven had spent enough time with Garnet to catch the small smile pulling at his mouth.

“Thanks Buck! This is gonna be so great!”

Once Steven had returned home for a quick snack and to deposit his things he all but ran to the barn.

“Peridot! Peridot!” he cried as soon as he was within yelling distance.

There was a sound from the barn that sounded suspiciously like Peridot had fallen over. Seconds later she was running towards Steven. She stopped in front of him, slightly out of breath.

“You’ve returned! Do you have a report on your adventures at camp? You must disclose it immediately,” Peridot demanded, with a strong sense of urgency.

“Mostly we watched a lot of training videos, but I’ve got some great news for you!”

“What is it?”

“Next Friday you get to spend a whole day at camp! We’re having a special event and you’re allowed to be a special guest!”

“Oh my stars! You’re not ‘pranking’ me are you?” Peridot eyed Steven suspiciously. Having hung out with Amethyst for several years now, Peridot was very familiar with pranks. She had long since learned that many things that sounded too good to be true often were.

“Of course not! I would never mess with you over something so important!”

“Tell me more about this ‘special event’”

“Well, every Friday one of the counsellors gets to plan something special. Buck said we’re allowed to bring in guests. We’re going to have to figure out what we want the kids to actually do though”

“Don’t worry Steven, I’ll come up with the most perfect day at camp any camper could ever wish for!”

“Great, do you want to plan it together?”

“And have you interfere with my planning process? I think not”

Steven’s face fell a little.

“Well… okay. But let me know if you want any help”, he said, trying not to be too disappointed that Peridot didn’t want to work with him.

Peridot’s face took on an expression of manic glee.

“Do not be concerned. This will be the greatest day in the history of Camp Sea Shore, I guarantee it”

* * *

 

Today was the day. It was the end of the first session. Peridot had refused to give Steven any details about the upcoming event.

Peridot had decided to accompany Steven to work, insisting that she needed the morning to ‘set up’ what she had in store for the rest of the day.

She seemed more excited than Steven had ever seen her, which made him deeply happy despite the sense of foreboding that had begun to surround the event. The fact that Peridot still had not disclosed any details of her plans was concerning to Steven.

Still, it was too late to back out now. He would just have to trust in Peridot’s judgement.

As they neared the camp, Peridot’s expression became starry-eyed.

“Oh my gosh, a real forest!” she said, gesturing to the expanse of trees surrounding the camp.

“A real lake!”

“A real four-square square!!”

“It’s all I ever could have dreamed! Truly, the representation of a camp setting given on _Camp Pining Hearts_ didn’t even come close to its real-life counterpart!”

“So, what do you have planned for today?” Steven asked, hoping to finally get some answers.

“Well, the most important activities at camp, as indicated by _Camp Pining Hearts_ include kissing, capture the flag, canoeing, four-square, eating and bracelet-making” Peridot said with a self-assured look on her face.

“It is therefore most logical to combine all of these activities into one afternoon to achieve the best results!”

“Before lunch we will have a canoe race. Campers will be allowed to choose a partner. These teams will then compete to reach the small island in the centre of the lake before the others. Once at this island they will be required to create a fire and use it to make their lunch. There will only be enough food for half of the campers. This is to motivate them. They will also need to kiss their teammates before they are allowed to consume their food.  

Once lunch has been completed the teams will play rock-paper-scissors. The winners will form a team on one side of the island and the losers will form a team on the other side of the island. We will then play capture the flag. The game will be fun not only because of the nature of the game itself, but also because of the conflicting emotions created by being forced to play against someone with whom they have recently kissed.

After the game has concluded, campers will create friendship bracelets using gimp and/or hemp. Each camper will give another camper a friendship bracelet to help mend any feelings hurt by competing at capture the flag.

Once everyone has returned to the mainland, the day will conclude with a camp-wide four-square tournament, which will decisively determine the ‘king’ of Camp Sea Shore!”

Peridot concluded the recitation of her plan with a smug smirk.

“So, what do you think? Isn’t it perfect?!”

In all honesty, Peridot’s plan wasn’t a terrible one, it just needed to be modified slightly. Mostly the elements involving forced kissing and possible starvation.

“You’re right, that does sound like a lot of fun, but there are a few parts of your plan we need to tweak a bit…”

“What? Why?!”

“Well, for one thing, we can’t force people to kiss! That’s something that has to come from the heart!”

“The heart is over-rated!”

“No it’s not!”

Peridot pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

“Fine. What are your other demands?”

“We also need to make sure there’s enough food for everybody. Starving children is unethical”

“Ugh. Alright, if you insist”

“Let’s also make sure we have multiple games of four-square going on so that everyone will get a chance to play”

“Then there won’t be a decisive winner!”

“Four-square’s not about winning or losing, it’s about survival! Even the greatest king will eventually fall if the other players work together against them!”

“That’s preposterous! Didn’t you even see the episode where the counsellors of CPH challenge the counsellors of COF to a four-square tournament to demonstrate that they’re the superior staff team?!”

“Yeah, and the CPH counsellors win by working together where the COF counsellors insist on trying to be the best individuals”

“That’s just your interpretation!”

“No! It was said in an interview that the struggle with COF in Season 4 was meant to represent the importance of working cohesively as a unit rather than focusing on individual strengths!”

“I suppose that did provide a good demonstration of the fallacy of composition…”

It seemed that the reminder of the themes of CPH Season 4 had left Peridot deep in thought. Suddenly she looked stricken, tearful almost.

“Did I do this wrong?” Peridot asked, voice shaking slightly.

“I’m not really any good at this at all, am I? Maybe by trying to put all these elements together I too committed the fallacy of composition… Would it have been better if I hadn’t helped at all?”

Steven scooped Peridot into a hug.

“Not a chance Peridot! I love how much thought and effort you put into planning this! With the minor changes I suggested we’ve got a really great day planned. Now, we’re going to do this together, and it’s going to be great!”

Peridot returned Steven’s embrace

“Huh. You know what? I think you might be right about that”

**Author's Note:**

> So, I do have the beginnings of a second chapter featuring Sardonyx but I dunno if it's gonna get done or not. 
> 
> Fun notes: the traumatizing work safety video is a real Canadian PSA, it features a cautionary tale of a woman who slips and pours a face-full of hot oil onto herself as she screams in pain. It's about as traumatizing as it sounds.
> 
> The fallacy of composition refers to the misconception that if the parts of something have a certain characteristic then the whole will necessarily have that same characteristic. For example, assuming that a group of musicians that are talented individually will make a good band, or assuming that because hydrogen and oxygen are both gasses that H2O must also be a gas (is water just hydrogen and oxygen MASHED together??)
> 
> If the person who originally asked for this gift is reading it, I hope you liked it :D


End file.
